Alton · Hampshire
Concrete repairs in Alton
Spalling concrete on a Alton balcony, canopy or lintel almost always starts with the steel inside. Once carbonation or salts reach the bars, they rust and swell, and the concrete breaks away along their line until the steel is repaired and protected.
Guide price from£95per m² inc VAT
- Postcodes
- GU34
- Population
- about 19,000
- Area
- Hampshire
- Pricing region
- South East
What is the ground like in Hampshire?
Alton is in Hampshire and takes in postcode districts GU34. About 19,000 people live there. Nearby, we also cover Bordon (5 miles), Farnham (9 miles) and Basingstoke (9 miles).
Shrinkable clay is widespread in Hampshire. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Hampshire: Victorian terraces in Portsmouth and Southampton, 1930s semis, and large post-war and new-build estates.
Repair options we may recommend
Crack injection
Cracks are sealed at the surface, then a low-viscosity resin is injected under pressure through ports until it fills the crack. A rigid resin bonds the two faces back together, while a flexible one seals live cracks against water. The choice depends on whether the crack is still moving.
Best for: Cracks letting water in, or splitting a slab or beam
Recasting or strengthening
Where steel has lost much of its section, or a lintel or canopy is too far gone to patch, the element is propped and rebuilt, replaced or strengthened to an engineer’s design. It is less common, but sometimes the more lasting option for small canopies and old precast lintels.
Best for: Badly corroded lintels, canopies and balcony edges
What to expect when we carry out concrete repairs
Survey and tapping test
On site we tap the surface to find hollow areas, check the steel where it is exposed and note drainage. Where the extent is unclear, a cover meter, carbonation test or chloride test may be advised before repair.
Engineer where needed
If the steel has lost significant section, or the element carries a balcony, stair or wall, an independent chartered structural engineer is appointed to assess and specify. We can arrange this, and the repair follows their scope.
Written quote
You receive a no-obligation written quote setting out the estimated area of patching, the length of crack injection, coatings and access. It becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified, with any re-measure terms stated clearly.
Is it time for concrete repairs? Common signs
- Damp patches, white deposits or drips on a balcony or canopy underside
- Exposed steel bars showing where concrete has fallen away
- Hollow sound when the surface is tapped with a hammer
What should you budget for concrete repairs in Alton?
Guide prices below are for homes in Alton, on South East rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete patch repair | £95 – £200 | per m² |
| Crack injection | £200 – £540 | per metre |
| Small jobs (minimum visit)est. | £505 – £1,000 | per visit |
Rules for concrete repairs in England
Like-for-like repairs such as crack stitching and repointing do not usually need building control approval in England, but anything that changes or strengthens the structure, such as underpinning or rebuilding a wall, does. If the work touches a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.
Your concrete repairs questions
How much will concrete repairs cost in Alton?
Guide prices for concrete repairs in Alton start from about £95 per m², including VAT, on South East rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Alton?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Alton, including GU34, and from nearby places such as Bordon and Farnham. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Is the ground in Hampshire prone to subsidence?
Central Hampshire is chalk, while the south around Portsmouth, Southampton and the New Forest fringe and the north-east around Farnborough sit on London Clay, Reading Beds and other clays and sands. The clay areas see seasonal movement near trees. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What is carbonation in concrete?
Carbonation is the gradual reaction between carbon dioxide in the air and concrete, which lowers its alkalinity from the surface inward. Alkaline concrete protects the steel inside, so when carbonation reaches the bars, they can start to rust. A simple test on a freshly broken surface shows how deep it has gone.
Can you repair a cracked concrete lintel?
Often, yes. Spalling and small cracks in a concrete lintel can be patch repaired and the steel treated. If the lintel is badly cracked, sagging or the bars have lost much of their section, replacement is usually better, and the opening is propped while it is done.
Other structural repairs in Alton
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Crack stitching
- Retaining wall repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
Concrete repairs near Alton
Concrete falling from a balcony or canopy in Alton? Fence off the area below, send us photos, and we will advise on making it safe and repairing it.